Unhealthy aviation sector … How Air Peace, Max Air, Dana Air endangering lives with calamitous airplanes

Despite the economic downturn in Nigeria, the aviation sector is facing significant operational challenges attributed to the carelessness of airline operators. There is a clear trend of negligence regarding the proper maintenance of aircraft before they are put into operation.

Recently, there has been a notable increase in the risk faced by Nigerians due to frequent airline crashes, emergency landings, and incidents involving excessive speeds. These safety concerns have raised serious questions about the operational standards and practices within the aviation industry.

In April, an aircraft belonging to Dana Air experienced a runway incursion upon landing on Tuesday at the domestic wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos from Abuja. The incident was reported to the Accident Investigation Bureau and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for appropriate action.

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, said Dana Airline has been flying with an unhealthy status for a while now. This means that the lives of Nigerians meant nothing to the owners of Dana Airline. Keyamo said an audit report carried out under his predecessor confirmed the airline’s unhealthy status.

The internal reports, which were done two years ago, showed that Dana Air was unfit to fly, adding that the consistent incidents experienced by the airline made him call for a suspension.

In the same month of April, Air Peace plane coming from Port Harcourt made an emergency landing at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, on Thursday after the pilots noticed a fire warning indicator in the cockpit.

The aircraft, which had 243 passengers and 12 crew members on board, landed safely at 4:45pm on Runway18L of the Lagos airport.

The pilots immediately shut down the engines of the aircraft after fire fighting personnel reportedly observed smoke on the engines. The call sign of the aircraft is: APK7193.

Air Peace has been a subject of controversy as an airline operator in the country, with various negative reports surfacing both domestically and internationally. These reports are often associated with the owner and the company itself.

The Chairman of Nigerian indigenous carrier Air Peace, Allen Onyema, has raised the alarm that foreign carriers operating the Nigeria-UK

It is obvious that lack of proper maintenances resulted in Max Air’s flight NGL1649, a Boeing 737 carrying 119 passengers and six crew members late Sunday lost four tyres during roll for take – off at the Yola Airport en route Abuja.

The aircraft, according to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), was cleared for take – off during which a loud bang was heard by the pilot in command identified as the bursting of the rear gear tyres.

According to a statement by NSIB’s spokesperson, Mrs Bimbo Okawumi Oladeji, besides the bursting of rear gear tyres, two other tyres also burst.

The NSIB’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection said:” This evening, Max Air’s flight NGL1649, a Boeing 737 with registration 5N-ADB, carrying 119 passengers and 6 crew members, was cleared for takeoff from Yola Airport en route to Abuja.

During the takeoff roll, a loud bang was heard, identified as the bursting of the rear gear tyres. Initially, two tyres burst.

“While attempting to taxi off the runway, the remaining two tyres also burst, rendering the aircraft completely disabled.

A Boeing 737 aircraft carrying 119 passengers and six crew members late Sunday lost four tyres during roll for take – off at the Yola